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Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Sunday, February 19, 2017

A World Without You by Beth Revis

How I Heard About It: I've had this novel sitting in my TBR pile for so long I can't remember how I heard about it. I'm sure I got the title from Twitter and/or Facebook. What It Is About: Bo is spending time at Berkshire Academy which is a school for troubled youth that are dealing with emotional issues. He believes he is at a school for kids with special "powers". Bo's special power is that he can "time travel". He has had experiences where he traveled to the Titanic, the Civil War, and other historical events. Bo and his "friends" at Berkshire all seem to have special powers. While at this school Bo meets Sophia and she has her own unique powers. The two of them spend time together and Bo falls in love with her. When Sophia disappears from the school, Bo knows it is up to him to "find" her and bring her back. He blames himself for what has happened to her. Everyone around him states that Sophia is dead, but Bo knows differently. Spending both time at the school and at home with his family, Bo's life gets more and more complicated, confusing, and on the verge of really losing it. When Bo learns why he is really at Berkshire, he can't quite comprehend what is happening to him and relies on the other students to help them all find the answers they are looking for. What I Thought Of It: This was such a great reading experience. Part of the reason was I've had the book for quite some time and couldn't really remember what the plot was. I actually love reading a story when I don't know much about the story line. This look into mental illness was both fascinating and disturbing. The author did such an incredible job of describing what was going on inside of Bo's mind that as the reader I almost believed what he was thinking was true. I also enjoyed reading about his sister and how Bo's situation effected her, their parents, and the family unit they once knew and so desperately tried to hold on to. There were many moments when my heart hurt for Bo and the other youth at the school. I so wanted to help them clear their mind and find happiness. Who Should Read It: All readers should put this on their list of books to be read. It is such a powerful, important, and necessary story to experience. If the reader knows of someone in their own life who is struggling with mental illness, this would be a great source of comfort. Both young adult and adult readers would be perfect for this work of fiction. Happy Reading! Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars